


descent (or how to stop being a national hero)

by watername



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Disability, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-01-28
Updated: 2014-01-28
Packaged: 2018-01-10 08:19:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 420
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1157291
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/watername/pseuds/watername
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>He falls, and he descends, and he sinks like he never thought he could. He is the youngest professional Seeker, balancing Bulgarian wizardry’s sporting fervor and Professor Hadjiev’s fixation on the pioneering medieval Arabian’s Arithmancy. And he lands, hard.</p>
            </blockquote>





	descent (or how to stop being a national hero)

Viktor falls. He falls, and he descends, and he sinks like he never thought he could. He is the youngest professional Seeker, balancing Bulgarian wizardry’s sporting fervor and Professor Hadjiev’s fixation on the pioneering medieval Arabian’s Arithmancy. And he lands, hard, Lynch throwing a look behind him before triumphantly grabbing the Snitch. He hears the roars and sobs of the crowd, and he thinks _my legs_.

He still comes to Hogwarts. Medi-wizards can do what they like from England, Karkaroff insists. Poliakoff has not grown better, but the gap between them is growing. He is not a bad wizard, but his skill has always been at Quidditch. It made him Krum, and now he is only Viktor. Krum was the center of attention for his skill in the air; Viktor draws stares as he drags his leg across the stone floor of the Great Hall.

He hates them. He watches his classmates throw their names in the Cup. He tells Karkaroff he does, he writes his name on the paper, and he lets that one slip down his sleeve while the one with _Igor Karkaroff_ makes the flames grow higher.

If he wants the glory for Durmstrang, he can do it himself.

Dara Vankova is Durmstrang’s champion. She grimly smiles to herself as she walks up to the stage. She is strong, she is skilled. Viktor wishes her the best, sincerely. He stays on the ship when he can, but the tasks draw him out, unwillingly.

Potter flies well. Diggory seems capable enough. He looks at Fleur and loses himself and never wants to stop looking.

At the second task, when the competitors dive beneath the lake, he drums his fingers against the railing and wonders what kind of person inspires such loyalty.

They break the surface, and he sees the limp girl in Diggory’s arms. She sputters and she coughs and she lets him embrace her. She looks up into the stands and back to the lake and self-consciously pulls down the soggy sleeves of her uniform. She pulls him into the tent and he can see her lips forming the words, almost see them written in the air.

_i don’t want them to see us_

Later on, they’re in the library. His foot falls heavily on the floor, and she doesn’t look down at it. He says, “I am sorry.”

And she says, “Dumbledore wouldn’t have let us drown.”

And he says, “No, I am sorry that to them you are someone to be rescued.”

And she smiles.


End file.
